Soil Scientist
GWCT, The Allerton Project
Post Details
Post Title: Senior Scientist, Soil Science, Allerton Project
Type of appointment: Full-time, Permanent
Reporting to: Head of Agri-Environmental Sciences
Location: The Allerton Project, Loddington, Leicestershire
Hours of work: Full time (37.5 hours per week).
Salary: £30,000-£33,000 per year
Closing date: 22-05-2026
Job Purpose
The Allerton Research and Educational Trust was established in 1992 at the bequest of the late Lord and Lady Allerton. The Charities objectives are to research and demonstrate that productive farming and wildlife conservation can be reconciled. The research extends to the wider farmed environment and components of the agricultural system including flora, fauna, soil and water.
We welcome applications from candidates with a PhD, or similar experience in soil science, agroecology or related disciplines. A track record of peer reviewed publications, and success in external grant capture is desirable, but not essential. Fieldwork and field trial management skills are essential. The successful candidate will help manage our existing portfolio of soil science projects, collecting and analysing data and co-ordinating fieldwork operations. They will also design, implement and raise external funding for new Agri-ecology projects to ensure continuity and expansion of research within the Allerton Project in regenerative farming, crop production and soil health. An understanding of, and a vision for arable and pastoral farming systems and the agricultural policy landscape is highly desirable.
Our current research portfolio includes regenerative agriculture, inclusion of livestock, grazing management, land management change, soil cultivations, soil biological health, nitrogen use efficiency, biostimulants, greenhouse gas emissions – particularly N2O, water infiltration, water run-off and water quality. We are looking for an enthusiastic candidate who can take on this wide breadth of research and build on it. We are particularly interested in candidates with prior experience in some of these areas, but on the job training is available, and we welcome a candidate with enthusiasm and willing to learn. This is a practical role, and will include involvement in fieldwork and data collection, alongside data analysis and presentation of results.
Candidates must have the legal right to work in the UK.
Our vision
The Allerton Research & Educational Trust (ARET) aka The Allerton Project is a nationally important research and demonstration farm that researches the effects of different farming methods on wildlife and the environment, sharing results of our research through advisory and educational activities. Much of this is undertaken on our 320-hectare demonstration farm based in Leicestershire, with outreach activities also carried out on-line and elsewhere.
We identify management that delivers multiple benefits for our rural landscape. Our work covers natural capital accounting, Environmental Land Management and regenerative farming systems. From soil and water to woodland and farmland habitats that increase biodiversity, our aim is to develop farming and land management systems that are resilient to economic and environmental shocks. Our own research team collaborates with other research organisations and co-supervises numerous PhD and MSc projects.
Visitors to the Project include businesses, policy makers, non-government organisations, regulators, farmers, advisors, students and schools. We have several initiatives that involve the local community to help improve a shared understanding of agricultural and environmental issues. In essence, the Allerton Project is an award winning, pioneering blueprint for future rural landscapes. Arable cropping and livestock enterprises sit alongside woodland, wetland and other environmental habitats. The Project is noted for developing scientifically validated solutions to a range of agricultural and land management conflicts, including wildlife, game management, soil health, carbon accounting and water quality. We are leaders or partners in many public and privately funded initiatives with a number of international corporations as our clients.
The Allerton Project has a well-established environmentally sustainable training and visitor facility attracting over 2,000 delegates and visitors a year. The project delivers comprehensive training programme such as the BASIS Certificate in Sustainable Land Management as well as numerous bespoke packages.
Who will you be working with?
- Key members of The Allerton Project Team
- Head of Agri-Environmental Science
- Head of Trials
- Student Placements
- Farm Manager
- Ecologist
- Agroecologist
Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities
- Conducting fieldwork, collecting data to a high standard to meet research contract objectives
- Collect, analyse and writing up data from research projects.
- Publication of research results across a range of journals and other media and be involved with reporting and outreach activities.
- Assist with sourcing funding for new projects and bid writing.
- Excellent organisational skills including the ability to manage a diverse and busy workload, plan effectively, prioritise and work to deadlines.
- Excellent IT skills and ability to carry out statistical data analyses and modelling in relevant software e.g. R statistical software.
- An understanding of agricultural systems and the policy environment.
- Develop relevant and robust field work protocols
- Supervise PhD students and project students
- Use scientific equipment, such as gas analysers in the field.
- Follow procedures and protocols to collect high quality, publishable scientific trials data.
- Work off site to fulfil research obligations.
- Contribute to research blogs for research dissemination.
- Help with preparation of risk assessments and SOPs
- Involvement with dissemination and training activities, writing articles, or presenting at workshop events and conferences.
Person Specification
- Experience and ability in collecting scientific data. Attention to detail. Essential
- Experience at monitoring impacts of agri-environmental changes. Preferable
- A team player; approachable, flexible, engaging, enthusiastic and welcoming to all. Essential
- Experience of organising and undertaking research, including preparing research proposals, working on research projects, and meeting research project deliverables on time. Essential
- Willingness to undertake a variety of manual tasks for data collection, such as soil sampling, in all weathers. Essential
- Good analytical skills and judgement with the ability to analyse and resolve problems, identifying practical solutions. Essential
- Ability to adapt, work flexibly and deal with unpredictability of the farming environment. Essential
- Ability to communicate clearly, concisely both verbally and in writing. Have the confidence to present to large groups. Essential
- Ability to establish credibility quickly and build effective working relationships within a research environment both with stakeholders and partner organisations. Essential
- Ability to work well under pressure, meet deadlines and give particular attention to detail and accuracy. Essential
Qualifications
- Good first degree in a relevant subject area. Essential
- Relevant postgraduate qualification (PhD), or equivalent research experience in an appropriate discipline. Essential
- Ability to work well under pressure, meet deadlines and give particular attention to detail and accuracy. Essential
- Understanding of lowland UK agricultural systems. Preferable
Other
- Adhere to relevant health and safety practices, including those relating to lone field working (or where necessary develop or update relevant risk assessments and H&S protocols). Essential
- Valid UK driving license and access to a vehicle to be able to get to remote field sites. Essential